I am grateful for

A friend's bountiful garden.
My friend has just bought a house nearby us, with a large established garden. Eleven different fruit trees I think we counted. Her life is rather busy at the moment, which means no time for the garden and all the things it's producing . So I'm taking it upon myself to see that nothing goes to waste :)
One very large rhubarb plant this week has turned into 4 jars of stewed rhubarb, 12 cups of sliced rhubarb to go into the freezer (for using later in baking and quite possibly strawberry and rhubarb jam) ...



and one batch of rhubarb muffins (using this recipe).



I think it's a pretty good relationship we have going really. She provides the fruit, I do the labour, and we split the results.
I'm thinking about her HUGE plum tree as I type this, covered in little green plums. It's going to be a mammoth task, but I think I'm up to it. I'm thinking mainly bottled whole plums, some stewed, a bit of jam, and maybe some kind of chutney. I had better start collecting up jars.

11 comments

Donna T said...

WOW!! Do your feet ever stay still??!! Well done and it is great to see bottled and preserved fruit as it seems to be a rarity these days. It tastes so much better and is great not to have all those preservatives and additives in it. Well done and take care. Have a special weekend.

nz green buttons said...

oooh yum! I have a small plant that I put in last year, hopefully it won't be too long till I can harvest mine.

Miss Smith said...

Me, I never get sick of bottled plums. Bottled plums with rice pudding, icecream, weetbix, on their own, with cream, custard, or yoghurt. Get HEAPS of bottles, that's what I would do!

Our Green Nest said...

OH WOW! How incredible!!!

Anonymous said...

Ah, so wonderful. If only I had a garden like that, my oven would be running non stop!

Tamara said...

yum! those muffins look amazing!!!

mee said...

And what about your favourite plum butter! And the sort you can cut into cubes and have with cold meats or with cheese! And plum sauce is nice for a change. And...

Pragya said...

yummmm.. :) Just last week I recycled a dozen glass jars to create additional storage. Had a hard time parting with them! LOL!

Nova said...

what a lovely idea to combine your time & rhubarby resources!

Liesl said...

Mmm, rhubarb!
Sounds like you and your friend have a great collaboration going. :)

christina said...

this is a wonderful deal! the muffins look so yummy.
: )